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For the 50% of the Australian coast that is composed of sand and in some places mud, the shoreline is prone to change, building seaward and in some places eroding landward.

Coastal erosion is the loss of land along the shoreline due to the natural removal of beach and dune material in response to changing wave and water level conditions.

Coastal erosion (or shoreline retreat) is the loss of coastal lands due to the net removal of sediments or bedrock from the shoreline.

Coastal erosion can be either a:

rapid-onset hazard (occurs very quickly, a period of days to weeks)
slow-onset hazard (occurring over many years, or decades to centuries).

Coastal erosion and shoreline recession from sea-level rise is a significant risk to coastal Australia.